TAMPA, Fla. – The Western Washington University volleyball team continued to do what it did all season – fighting until the end – but the Vikings fell short of advancing to the NCAA Division II Championship match with a 3-1 semifinal loss to Washburn University on Friday evening.
The No. 2 seed Vikings were defeated by the No. 3 seed Ichabods 23-25, 21-25, 29-27, 11-25 in the Final Four played in the Bob Martinez Athletics Center on the University of Tampa campus.
WWU went down 2-0 in the match after playing the Ichabods tight in the opening set and storming back in the second stanza. The Vikings then gutted out a 29-27 win in the third set, fending off three match points to force the fourth set. Washburn – ranked No. 6 nationally entering the postseason – closed out the match with a convincing fourth-set victory to advance to its first national championship match.
The Vikings were led by double-double performances by the outside hitter combination of First Team All-American
Gabby Gunterman and honorable mention All-American
Calley Heilborn. Gunterman paced the offense with 11 kills and 10 digs and Heilborn tallied 10 kills and 21 digs.
Western received a lift from its strong block, with junior middles
Olivia Fairchild (6 blocks) and
Chloe Roetcisoender (5 blocks) combining to help the Vikings out-block the Ichabods 11-8. Sophomore libero
Kasey Woodruff added 20 digs. Junior opposite
Tess Biscup had an all-around solid match with eight kills (.185), five blocks and five digs for 10.5 points.
The Vikings had their 20-match winning streak snapped to conclude the season with a 25-5 overall record. WWU has advanced to the NCAA Championships in each of the last nine seasons and played in the Final Four for the third time in the last six seasons. Western advanced to the national championships tournament by winning its fourth West Regional title.
Washburn improved to 31-5 behind a strong offensive attack that resulted in a 61-44 advantage in kills over the Vikings. First Team All-American Allison Maxwell recorded a match-high 15 kills to lead four Washburn player with double-digits in kills. Faith Rottinghaus anchored the defense with 26 digs and Taylor Antonowich had four of Washburn's eight service aces.
Overall Washburn hit .240 in the match while holding the Vikings to a .150 mark for the third-lowest percentage of the season. The Ichabods avenged a 3-1 loss to the Vikings 14 years ago in the 2007 national semifinal on their home court in Topeka, Kansas, the only other meeting between the volleyball powerhouses.
FROM HEAD COACH DIANE FLICK-WILLIAMS
On the Match
"Congrats to Washburn. They really pushed us to the limit. We had our moments and battled pretty hard, but in the end just came up short. We talked as a team after the match and in this instance, we might just be a Final Four team, and you know what…that's pretty darn good to be one of four teams left at the endo of the season. We get to go home with our team, and that's a pretty great gift to have."
On Motivation for Next Season
"We return almost our entire team that was on the court this season and have is players that are ready to go after using a redshirt season this year. It's going to be a great competitive environment in our gym. We will learn from this, grow from this and prepare to put ourselves in these same positions again."
On her Team
"Everybody gets to see the competitive side of us. They can see the stats, the records, the scores, but what people don't see and probably what I am most proud of is how this team came together as a group. There is a saying that do you recruit character or do you recruit characters, and I have both. They really learned to be together and every person they were able to touch as a group made a lasting impression. That is this team and this is who they are as people. That's what I am most proud of and that I get to be round people like them all the time."
SET-BY-SET
SET 1 (WU 25, WWU 23): The Vikings dropped the opening set 25-23, just the ninth time this season to fall in the opening stanza. WWU trailed 14-10 following a 3-0 Washburn run, but battled back to within one point eight different times, but could not pull even as the Ichabods held off a late Western rally to go up 1-0 in the match.
Gabby Gunterman led the Vikings with four kills and
Kasey Woodruff had five digs.
SET 2 (WU 25, WWU 21): Washburn jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the second set and led the remainder of the way for the 25-21 victory to go up 2-0 in the match. Despite trailing by 11 points at 22-9, the Vikings staged a huge comeback going on a 12-2 run to pull to within three points at 24-21. WWU fended off five set points and had to call a pair of timeouts, but eventually prevailed 25-21 to end a 5-0 Viking scoring run.
SET 3 (WWU 29, WU 27): The Vikings showed the heart they have had all season forcing a fourth set winning the third 29-27. WWU faced a five-point deficit at 18-13, but went on a 6-1 run to tie things up 19-19. Western then built a three-point lead at 23-20 and had three set points before Washburn went on a 4-0 run to go up 25-24. The Vikings fended off three match points tying the set at 25, 26 and 27 before taking the set 29-27 on a
Chloe Roetcisoender service ace. The set featured 11 ties and five lead changes.
SET 4 (WU 25, WWU 11): Washburn closed out the match to advance to Saturday's national championship match with a 25-11 victory in the fourth set. After exchanging four early ties, Washburn pulled away going on a 7-1 run taking a 12-6 lead. The Ichabods erased the possibility of another WWU comeback with a 9-2 run to grow the lead to 21-9, holding the Vikings to their fewest points in a set this season.
WWU STATISTICAL LEADERS
Kills – Gunterman (11), Heilborn (10), Biscup (8)
Aces – Roetcisoender (2), Lologo (2), Heilborn (1)
Blocks – Fairchild (6), Roetcisoender (5), Biscup (5)
Assists – Aleaga (35), Woodruff (3), Roetcisoender (1)
Digs – Heilborn (21), Woodruff (20), Gunterman (10)
Points – Gunterman (12.0), Heilborn (11.5), Biscup (10.5), Roetcisoender (10.5), Fairchild (10.0)
POSTSEASON HISTORY
The Vikings are 26-15 all-time in 15 trips to the NCAA Division II Championships. WWU made its ninth consecutive trip to the NCAA postseason and fourth appearance in the national championship tournament (Elite Eight (2007, 2015, 2018, 2021).
Western is 4-0 all-time in national quarterfinal matches and 2-2 in semifinal contests. WWU played for the national title in 2018 and advanced to the regional semifinal in 2019, with the 2020 championships canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Here is a match-by-match look at how the Vikings have fared in 15 appearances in the NCAA Championships:
2001 (No. 3 seed) – San Bernardino, CA
Defeated Cal State L.A. 3-2
Lost to UC San Diego, 3-0
2002 (No. 3 seed) – San Bernardino, CA
Lost to Cal State Los Angeles, 3-2
2003 (No. 2 seed) – La Jolla, CA
Lost to Cal State San Bernardino, 3-1
2006 (No. 7 seed) – San Bernardino, CA
Lost to UC San Diego, 3-1
2007 (No. 2 seed) – San Bernardino, CA
Defeated Chico State, 3-0
Defeated UC San Diego, 3-2
Defeated Cal State San Bernardino, 3-0 (West Regional Final)
NCAA National Championships (Topeka, KS)
Defeated Dowling, 3-0
Defeated Washburn, 3-1
Lost to Concordia-St. Paul, 3-1 (NCAA Championship Match)
2010 (No. 3 seed) – San Bernardino, CA
Defeated Alaska Anchorage, 3-1
Lost to Seattle Pacific, 3-2
2012 (No. 4 seed) – Laie, HI
Defeated Sonoma State, 3-0
Lost to BYU Hawaii, 3-1
2013 (No. 5 seed) – San Bernardino, CA
Lost to Sonoma State, 3-0
2014 (No. 3 seed) – Nampa, ID
Lost to Cal State San Bernardino, 3-1
2015 (No. 2 seed) – Anchorage, AK
Defeated Point Loma, 3-0
Defeated UC San Diego, 3-2
Defeated Cal State San Bernardino, 3-2 (West Regional Final)
NCAA National Championships (Tampa, FL)
Defeated Rockhurst, 3-1
Lost to Wheeling Jesuit, 3-0 (National Semifinal)
2016 (No. 3 seed) – Anchorage, AK
Defeated California Baptist, 3-0
Defeated Cal State San Bernardino, 3-0
Lost to Alaska Anchorage, 3-1 (West Regional Final)
2017 (No. 2 seed) – Riverside, CA
Defeated Alaska Anchorage, 3-1
Defeated Northwest Nazarene, 3-1
Lost to Cal State San Bernardino, 3-0 (West Regional Final)
2018 (No. 1 seed) – Bellingham, WA
Defeated Cal State East Bay, 3-0
Defeated Cal Poly Pomona, 3-0
Defeated Cal State San Bernardino, 3-2 (West Regional Final)
NCAA National Championships (Pittsburgh, PA)
Defeated Tarleton State, 3-0
Defeated Lewis, 3-1
Lost to Tampa, 3-2 (NCAA Championship Match)
2019 (No. 2 seed) – San Bernardino, CA
Defeated Hawai'i Hilo, 3-0
Lost to Azusa Pacific, 3-2
2021 (No. 2 seed) – San Bernardino, CA
Defeated Simon Fraser, 3-1
Defeated Central Washington, 3-1
Defeated Cal State Los Angeles, 3-0 (West Regional Final)
NCAA National Championships (Tampa, FL)
Defeated Daemen, 3-0 (National Quarterfinal)
Lost to Washburn, 3-1 (National Semifinal)
FINAL SEASON RESULTS
Here is a match-by-match look at the final results from the 2021 season, with the Vikings finishing the season with a 25-5 record:
| Date |
Opponent |
|
Score |
Score-by-set |
| 9/3 |
Sonoma State |
W |
3-1 |
26-24,23-25,25-18,25-18 |
| 9/4 |
MSU Denver (#11) |
W |
3-2 |
25-21,24-26,18-25,30-28,15-7 |
| 9/5 |
Chaminade |
W |
3-1 |
25-20,22-25,25-23,25-18 |
| 9/10 |
vs. Wayne State (#17) |
L |
0-3 |
22-25,17-25,22-25 |
| 9/10 |
vs. Lewis (#5) |
L |
0-3 |
16-25,24-26,16-25 |
| 9/11 |
vs. Lynn (RV) |
W |
3-2 |
22-25,25-16,23-25,25-20,15-11 |
| 9/11 |
vs. Cal State San Bernardino (#6) |
L |
2-3 |
23-25,35-33,25-17,21-25,13-15 |
| 9/18 |
at Simon Fraser* (#20) |
W |
3-2 |
25-13,19-25,20-25,25-23,15-9 |
| 9/23 |
at Central Washington* |
L |
1-3 |
13-25,25-19,15-25,23-25 |
| 9/25 |
at Northwest Nazarene* |
W |
3-1 |
25-13,25-27,25-22,25-22 |
| 10/2 |
Alaska Fairbanks* |
W |
3-2 |
25-13,20-25,25-23,23-25,15-13 |
| 10/7 |
at Western Oregon* |
W |
3-1 |
25-12,23-25,25-20,25-17 |
| 10/9 |
at Saint Martin's* |
W |
3-1 |
25-19,25-17,21-25,25-19 |
| 10/14 |
Seattle Pacific* |
W |
3-0 |
25-22,27-25,25-22 |
| 10/16 |
Montana State Billings* |
W |
3-0 |
25-17,25-11,25-18 |
| 10/21 |
Northwest Nazarene* |
W |
3-0 |
25-14,25-14,25-12 |
| 10/23 |
Central Washington* |
W |
3-0 |
25-13,25-22,25-22 |
| 10/28 |
at Alaska Fairbanks* |
W |
3-2 |
23-25,27-25,25-16,21-25,15-11 |
| 10/30 |
at Alaska Anchorage* |
W |
3-0 |
25-22,25-23,25-19 |
| 11/4 |
Saint Martin's* |
W |
3-0 |
25-22,25-15,25-23 |
| 11/6 |
Western Oregon* |
W |
3-0 |
25-17,25-17,25-18 |
| 11/8 |
Alaska Anchorage* |
W |
3-1 |
25-21,23-25,28-26,25-22 |
| 11/11 |
at Montana State Billings* |
W |
3-0 |
25-15,25-23,25-15 |
| 11/13 |
at Seattle Pacific* |
W |
3-1 |
24-26,25-18,25-19,25-23 |
| 11/20 |
Simon Fraser* |
W |
3-1 |
20-25,25-18,25-18,26-24 |
| 12/2 |
Simon Fraser (NCAA) |
W |
3-1 |
25-22,23-25,25-20,25-23 |
| 12/3 |
Central Washington (NCAA) |
W |
3-1 |
25-21,20-25,28-26,25-15 |
| 12/4 |
Cal State LA (NCAA) |
W |
3-0 |
25-23,29-27,25-15 |
| 12/9 |
Daemen (NCAA – Quarterfinal) |
W |
3-0 |
25-12,25-16,25-19 |
| 12/10 |
#6 Washburn (NCAA – Semifinal) |
L |
1-3 |
23-25,21-25,29-27,11-25 |
FINAL RECORD BREAKDOWN
WWU concluded the 2021 season with a 25-5 overall record and won its fourth consecutive GNAC title with a 17-1 league record. The Vikings were 10-2 in three-set matches, 10-2 in four-set contests and 5-1 in five sets. Here is a look at Western's record breakdown for the 2021 season:
| 2021 RECORD BREAKDOWN |
| Overall Record |
25-5 |
| Streak |
L1 |
| Home |
12-0 |
| Away |
8-1 |
| Neutral |
5-4 |
| GNAC Record |
17-1 |
| 3-Set Matches |
10-2 |
| 4-Set Matches |
10-2 |
| 5-Set Matches |
5-1 |
| Ranked Opponents |
2-4 |
| Record by Jersey |
| Navy Blue |
9-1 |
| White |
2-0 |
| Light Blue |
7-3 |
FOLLOW THE VIKS ONLINE
Fans can follow WWU Volleyball online at
WWUVikings.com/VB, and via social media on
Twitter (@WWUVolleyball),
Instagram (@WWUVB) and
Facebook (@WWUVolleyball). All home matches feature a live webcast, as well as most road matches, with links on how to follow the games available at
WWUVikings.com/Live.
ABOUT WWU VOLLEYBALL
The Volleyball team concluded its 50th season as a varsity intercollegiate sport at WWU, rising to an elite level by advancing to the NCAA Division II Championships in each of the last nine seasons and 15 of the last 20 dating back to the 2001 season. The winner of 11 Great Northwest Athletic Conference, Western won the 2018 GNAC title with a perfect 20-0 record, the 2017 championship by posting a 19-1 league, became a 3-peat champion with an 18-2 mark in 2019 and clinched the 2021 title with a 17-1 record. Led by 22nd-year head coach
Diane Flick-Williams (485-117/.806) the Vikings have posted a 236-47 record over the last 10 seasons (.834 winning percentage) and played in the NCAA II West Region championship match five out of the last six seasons (2015-21), winning titles in 2015, 2018 and 2021 (also 2007). WWU played for the NCAA II national championship in 2007 and 2018, both national runner-up finishes, and have advanced to the NCAA Final Four in three of the past six seasons (2015, 2018, 2021).
